ARDBEG - Fermutation - Vintage 2007 - 13 years old - Bottled in 2021 - 49.4% ABV
Ardbeg is an iconic distillery located on the island of Islay, in Scotland. Recognized as one of the oldest whisky producers on the island, Ardbeg enjoys worldwide fame for its among the peatiest and most powerful whiskies. Innovation and tradition boldly combine: Ardbeg thus became the first whisky to travel into space, having sent part of its production to the International Space Station in 2011 to study the impact of weightlessness on aroma development.
Whisky production on this site dates back to 1798, with official commercialization starting in 1815, the same year as its famous neighbor Laphroaig. Ardbeg quickly achieved significant success, notably due to strong demand for its spirits used in blends. However, after 1838, the distillery went through a turbulent period including several ownership changes and bankruptcies, until its closure in 1981. It reopened in 1989 with very limited activity (two months per year) before being definitively acquired in 1997 by the Glenmorangie group, a subsidiary of the French luxury house LVMH, which restored full production. Since then, Ardbeg has benefited from a prestigious strategy and expanded international distribution.
Ardbeg's two traditional stills produce about one million liters of pure alcohol per year, offered exclusively as Single Malt. The whisky is mainly aged in Bourbon casks, complemented by maturation in Sherry casks which enrich its complexity. Heavily peated, Ardbeg stands out with a unique aromatic profile, less maritime than other Islay whiskies, offering a remarkable balance between intense smoky notes, vibrant spices, and subtle sweetness.
Ardbeg Fermutation is the result of a unique experiment in the distillery's history. At the end of 2007, the boiler broke down just before Christmas, preventing immediate distillation of the wash after the classic 72-hour fermentation. This wash was therefore distilled after an extended fermentation of three weeks, an unusual process that gives the whisky unprecedented complexity. The aging took place over 13 years exclusively in first-fill and refill Bourbon casks, developing a subtle and particularly rich aromatic profile.
Peated
